Erasmus never stooped to real baseness. He was too clever, too genuine--he had too great a contempt for worldly greatness. They offered him a bishopric if he would attack Luther. He only laughed at them. What was a bishopric to him? He preferred a quiet life among his books at Louvaine. But there was no more quiet for Erasmus at Louvaine or anywhere. Here is a scene between him and the Prior of the Dominicans in the presence of the Rector of the University. The Dominican had preached at Erasmus in the University pulpit. Erasmus complained to the rector, and the rector invited the Dominican to defend himself. Erasmus tells the story. 'I sate on one side and the monk on the other, the rector between us to prevent our scratching. 'The monk asked what the matter was, and said he had done no harm. 'I said he had told lies of me, and that was harm. 'It was after dinner. The holy man was flushed. He turned purple. '"Why do you abuse monks in your books?" he said. '"I spoke of your order," I answered. "I did not mention you. You denounced me by name as a friend of Luther." 'He raged like a madman. "You are the cause of all this trouble," he said; "you are a chameleon, you can twist everything." '"You see what a fellow he is," said I, turning to the rector. "If it comes to calling names, why I can do that too; but let us be reasonable." 'He still roared and cursed; he vowed he would never rest till he had destroyed Luther. 'I said he might curse Luther till he burst himself if he pleased. I complained of his cursing me. 'He answered, that if I did not agree with Luther, I ought to say so, and write against him. '"Why should I?" urged I. "The quarrel is none of mine. Why should I irritate Luther against me, when he has horns and knows how to use them?" '"Well, then," said he, "if you will not write, at least you can say that we Dominicans have had the best of the argument." '"How can I do that?" replied I. "You have burnt his books, but I never heard that you had answered them." 'He almost spat upon me. I understand that there is to be a form of prayer for the conversion of Erasmus and Luther.' But Erasmus was not to escape so easily. Adrian the Sixth, who succeeded Leo, was his old schoolfellow, and implored his assistance in terms which made refusal impossible. Adrian wanted Erasmus to come to him to Rome. He was too wary to walk into the wolf's den. But Adrian required him to write, and reluctantly he felt that he must comply. What was he to say? 'If his Holiness will set about reform in good earnest,' he wrote to the Pope's secretary, 'and if he will not be too hard on Luther, I may, perhaps, do good; but what Luther writes of the tyranny, the corruption, the covetousness of the Roman court, would, my friend, that it was not true.' To Adrian himself, Erasmus addressed a letter really remarkable.